Rolling mill drive



Dec. 14, 1937. Q cuM s 2,102,355

ROLLING MILL DRIVE I Filed March 21, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l lnvenfar:

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Dec. 14, 1937f, A, Q cu 2,102,355

ROLLING MILL DRIVE Filed March 21, 1934 2 Shets-Sheet 2 [@enfor;

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Patented Dec. 14, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application March 21,

2 Claims.

This invention relates to rolling mill drives, one of the objects being to provide a drive that is improved in that it can accommodate relatively large variations in the positions of a mill roll respecting the drive. Other objects may be inferred.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a top view of a die-rolling mill including an example of the new drive, the matrices in the rolls not being shown because not required to illustrate the invention.

Figure 2 is a side view.

Figure 3 is a cross-section from the line IIIIII in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a cross-section from the line IVIV in Figure 3.

The above drawings illustrate a die-rolling mill l for the reason that the cooperative rolls 2 of such a mill must be often substituted by others of different diameters to accommodate different lengths of work being thus rolled.

This means that the vibrating spindle through which power is usually transmitted to the upper one of these rolls must work through a relatively wide range of angles. Good practice limits the angularity of a vibrating spindle to around 15 degrees, this limiting the capacity of the mill to the use of rolls whose maximum diameters do not throw the spindle beyond this angle. Sometimes this angle is exceeded, but excessive wear and power losses make this rather expensive.

In the present instance, the two working rolls 2 are driven by separate motors 4 and 5 through gear boxes 6. The motor 4 is arranged on one side of the mill and the other motor 5 is arranged on the other side of the mill. So far as is known,

this idea alone is new as applied to a mill having parallel rolls which work longitudinally on the metal being formed. v

The right-hand one of the gear boxes 6 is constructed to include a base l3 having upstanding supports l4 by which it journals a shaft l5. This shaft I5 is coupled to the motor 5 in any conventional manner. The shaft l5 has a pinion l6 fixed to it which is enclosed by a housing ll also journaled on this shaft. A second shaft l 8 is journaled by the housing I! and connects to the upper one of the rolls 2 through a vibrating spindle l9. The shaft I8 has a gear fixed to it which meshes with the pinion l6.

Now it is obvious that the housing I! can swing about the shaft l5, it being journaled on the latter. This permits the shaft l8 to move up and down so that it may be substantially alined with the upper one of the rolls 2, the gear and pinion being constantly meshed. A jack 2| may be mounted on the base 13 so as to engage the swing- 1934, Serial No. 716,686

This is one means times work at a slight horizontal angle, but this angle need never exceed that indicated by good practice, assuming that the gear box 6 has been positioned properly respecting the mill I.

Although a specific example of this invention has been described in accordance with the patent statutes, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention exactly thereto, except as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A drive for a rolling mill having a frame adapted to horizontally mount rolls at different axial levels, said drive including the combination of a pinion fixedly journaled in spaced relation to the ends of rolls mounted by said frame, a gear journaled by means constantly holding it in mesh with said pinion while permitting it to swing to different levels and a vibrating spindle for interconnecting said gear and the ends of rolls mounted by said frame, whereby power from a stationary power source may be transmitted to rolls mounted by said frame through said spindle and the latter maintained at efficient operating angles regardless of differences in the axial levels of said rolls by swinging said gear to the levels required, said spindle moving universally to accommodate swinging of said gear.

2. A drive for a rolling mill having a frame adapted to horizontally mount rolls at different axial levels, said drive including the combination of a shaft fixedly journaled parallel to rolls mounted by said frame and in spaced relation to their ends, a housing journaled on said shaft to swing thereon, ashaft journaled by said housing parallel the first named shaft, intermeshing gears fixed to said shafts, a vibrating spindle for interconnecting the second named shaft to the ends of rolls mounted by said frame and. means for swinging said housing on the first named shaft and for holding it at different levels, whereby power from a stationary source may be transmitted to rolls mounted by said frame through said spindle and the latter maintained at efficient operating angles regardless of differences in the axial levels of said rolls by swinging said housing by said means to swing the second named shaft to the levels required and holding it there by said means, said spindle moving universally to accommodate swinging of the second named shaft.

ALDEN C. CUMMINS. 

